Free clinic helps SLO County residents clear criminal records
February 24, 2026
By KAREN VELIE
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office and other community organizations are working to assist eligible individuals clear their criminal records, District Attorney Dan Dow announced today.
The goal is to help reduce barriers to employment and housing. A criminal record—no matter how old or how minor—can be a significant barrier to reentry for people when most employers, property managers and universities use background checks to screen applicants.
The SLO County District Attorney’s Office is part of a collaborative effort with the SLO County Probation Department, SLO Defenders, Restorative Partners, People’s Justice Project, California Rural Legal Assistance and SLO College of Law. Eligible individuals can make an appointment to receive services at the SLO Clean Slate Clinic on March 6 at (805) 902-CRLA or reentry@crla.org.
Walk-ins are welcome at the SLO County Law Library located at 1050 Monterey Street, but appointments are strongly preferred.
“Criminal records can make it very difficult for people to get jobs and housing after incarceration,” said Dan Dow, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney. “The added stability that comes from obtaining employment and housing helps reduce rates of recidivism which improves the overall quality of life in our community.”
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